David Bentley's future at White Hart Lane looks bleak after Harry Redknapp virtually washed his hands of the Tottenham flop last night.

Ringing endorsements, and first-team starts, have been in short supply for Bentley since he was fined £100,000 by his manager following his conviction for drink-driving last summer.

And now the £17 million flop has slipped so far down the Spurs pecking order that Redknapp could hand 19-year-old Danny Rose his debut in the FA Cup fourth round against Leeds today.

Bentley endeared himself to Redknapp by scoring a wonder goal from 40 yards in the north London derby with Arsenal during ’Arry’s first week in charge.

But ever since he was filmed on YouTube, kicking a ball off the top of a tower block into a skip in the street below, Bentley’s career at Tottenham has also been heading for the scrapheap.

Only last month, Redknapp revealed he had left Bentley out of the squad because of his poor attitude in training, and their frosty relationship will not thaw readily after this latest snub.

Redknapp admitted he is “not bothered“ whether Bentley becomes Cup-tied, and with Spurs - who have not reached the FA Cup final since 1991 - reduced to chasing only one pot, the England discard’s chances of regaining his manager’s favour appear slim.

He frowned: “He is here and he has to work hard to get in the team. That is all I asked them to do - come in every day, train hard and work hard.

“Footballers have a fantastic living, so it is not a lot to ask, is it? Come in every day, train hard and show a good attitude.”

And just in case Bentley - viewed as the natural successor to David Beckham on England’s right flank just a couple of years ago - has not got the message yet, the following excerpts from Redknapp’s media briefing yesterday should leave him in little doubt where he stands.

REPORTER: Isn’t this Cup tie a chance to play Bentley?

REDKNAPP: It would be if I wanted to.

REPORTER: Do you want to play him?

REDKNAPP: That’s another question.

REPORTER: Is he working hard?

REDKNAPP: He is working. He’s OK.

REPORTER: Have you been saying that about him since day one?

REDKNAPP: I played him every week when I first came here.

REPORTER: What’s changed?

REDKNAPP: Aaron Lennon has done well. I’ve also got Modric and Kranjcar does well for me - Niko was a good signing at £2m because he’s a terrific footballer and a great lad. He works hard, trains hard, never gives you a minute’s problem and he has no attitude. Luka is the same, and that’s what I still enjoy about football, players who want to come in every day, train and enjoy it.

Rose, whose move from Leeds to Tottenham in 2007 was completed in air of acrimony, is favourite to get the nod against his former club because Redknapp, pointedly, has been impressed with his attitude.

The England Under-21 international scored a contender for own goal of the season while on loan at Watford last season, but his combative style and versatility have impressed the Spurs boss, who said: “Danny was injured for a long spell when I first came to the club and I loaned him out to Peterborough earlier this year.

“But his attitude has changed, he’s worked hard, he’s got terrific ability and he can play central or wide left. I also think he could become a top left back one day. He’s quick, gets at people, gets his crosses in and I’m looking forward to seeing him play.”

Meanwhile, Redknapp has pulled out of the Dutch auction for striker Ruud van Nistelrooy because Tottenham are not prepared to meet his £100,000-a-week wage demands.

Spurs boss Redknapp admitted earlier this week he was “interested“ in the former Manchester United hit-man, who is also wanted by German giants Hamburg, but the deal has been vetoed by chairman Daniel Levy.

Redknapp said: “I think the chairman has spoken to Ruud’s people, but I don’t know if it’s a possibility now - it’s doubtful I would think.

“We don’t pay £100,000 a week - Daniel Levy would not pay that kind of money because he runs a good business and it would break our wage structure by an awful long way.

“Van Nistelrooy is probably worth it, and he’s probably earning a lot more than that at Real Madrid, but he’s been injured a lot this season and for that sort of money it would be a gamble to pay that kind of money.”

Poking fun at Stoke’s fanciful interest in the player, ’Arry joked: “I know he was a Stoke supporter as a kid, but I’m not sure he will go there.”